SANTA YNEZ, CA – The Santa Ynez Tribal Health Clinic (SYTHC), located on the Santa Ynez reservation, is celebrating 50 years since opening its doors in 1974. Founded by Rosa Pace, a Chumash community member and obstetrics nurse, the clinic was established to help improve healthcare on the Santa Ynez reservation. Today, the tribe continues to celebrate a legacy of healing with its state-of-the-art facility that serves its community and the general public, with more than 25,000 patient visits per year.
“We’ve come a long way since the beginning, and I’m proud of all the services we provide,” said Kenneth Kahn, Tribal Chairman for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. “When my grandmother, Rosa Pace, had a vision, nothing could stop her.”
Pace was instrumental in starting the first Urban Indian Health Clinic in Santa Barbara, and she went on to secure the grants needed to open a clinic on the Santa Ynez reservation in 1974. During her tenure, she added dental and social services to the clinic before eventually retiring in the year 2000. She passed away in 2015 at the age of 86.
Gary Pace, a member of the tribe’s Business Committee and son of Rosa Pace, reflected on his mom’s remarkable legacy.
“My mother, Rosa Pace, was always focused on providing a better, sustainable future for her fellow tribal members and the community, and it’s great to see that her hard work still stands today,” said Pace. “She was an early member of our tribal government, she helped the effort to bring running water to the Santa Ynez reservation, and she was influential regarding the tribe’s gaming ventures, however, the Tribal Health Clinic was always her passion. My family is proud of what she stood for, and we try to do our best to follow her example.”
In its beginning stages, patients were served once a week in a small two-bedroom trailer with no running water and limited equipment. With tribal and community involvement, as well as grants from Indian Health Services (IHS), the clinic was able to obtain much-needed water and transition into a newer, larger trailer. In 2002, the clinic’s current facility was built on the upper reservation to expand its size and capacity.
“The Santa Ynez Tribal Health Clinic is a community-focused facility for our tribal members and the broader community,” said Jacy Romero, Chairwoman for SYTHC’s Health Board. “We see patients from newborn to tribal elder, and our doors are always open to those who need healthcare. Our services have expanded to accommodate and provide excellent quality care for our patients.”
SYTHC’s stated mission is to provide the highest quality healthcare, honoring cultural values and incorporating best practices for all. Led by a team of doctors, practitioners, therapists, dentists and social workers, the clinic offers medical, dental, behavioral health and community and social services. The services are broad, including general family care, general dentistry, pediatrics, chiropractic, optometry, substance abuse programs, podiatry and behavioral health. The clinic currently has 19 providers and an active patient population of over 8,900.
“I’m most proud of the fact that we serve the entire community,” said Kahn. “We extend a huge thank you to our past and current doctors and administration staff members who have put in the work every day to support our patients over the years.”
SYTHC is a stand-alone subsidiary clinic that receives funding through various grants, including grants from IHS, and has achieved mature contractor status with IHS and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. It is certified as an FQHC look-a-like Medi-Cal/Medicare facility, and it is one of a few healthcare facilities in Santa Barbara County that has attained accreditation from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC).
